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The Mammoth Book of the Western
Ever since James Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers was published in 1823, Western stories have enthralled millions of readers across the world. The reasons are not hard to find: the magic of a vast land and even bigger sky, and the human heroism needed to endure its dangers.
The Western has always attracted writers of rare calibre - including such literary giants as Mark Twain, Jack London and Willa Cather, as well as more popular authors such as Zane Grey and O. Henry. Contemporary cult heroes Elmore Leonard and Loren D. Estleman have also written in the field.
This volume brings together more than 20 short novels and stories by all these authors and many more, ranging from the narrative excitement of Max Brand's Wine on the Desert to the realism of Stephen Crane's The Blue Hotel, from Loren D. Estleman's elegiac The Bandit to Jack London's atmospheric All Gold Canyon. Many of the stories, which feature ranchers, American Indians, outlaws and pioneers, became celebrated films including Dorothy M. Johnson's A Man Called Horse.
Together the stories demonstrate the diversity, vitality and brilliance of American Western fiction from its origins to today.
The Western has always attracted writers of rare calibre - including such literary giants as Mark Twain, Jack London and Willa Cather, as well as more popular authors such as Zane Grey and O. Henry. Contemporary cult heroes Elmore Leonard and Loren D. Estleman have also written in the field.
This volume brings together more than 20 short novels and stories by all these authors and many more, ranging from the narrative excitement of Max Brand's Wine on the Desert to the realism of Stephen Crane's The Blue Hotel, from Loren D. Estleman's elegiac The Bandit to Jack London's atmospheric All Gold Canyon. Many of the stories, which feature ranchers, American Indians, outlaws and pioneers, became celebrated films including Dorothy M. Johnson's A Man Called Horse.
Together the stories demonstrate the diversity, vitality and brilliance of American Western fiction from its origins to today.
- GenresWesterns
576 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1991
About the author
Jon E. Lewis
133 books42 followersJon E. Lewis is a historian and writer, whose books on history and military history are sold worldwide. He is also editor of many The Mammoth Book of anthologies, including the bestselling On the Edge and Endurance and Adventure.
He holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in history. His work has appeared in New Statesman, the Independent, Time Out and the Guardian. He lives in Herefordshire with his partner and children.
From: Constable & Robinson
He holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in history. His work has appeared in New Statesman, the Independent, Time Out and the Guardian. He lives in Herefordshire with his partner and children.
From: Constable & Robinson
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2018
Nice collection of real classic western short stories by masters like Max Brand, Owen Wister, T.V. Olsen, Ernest Haycox, Jack Schaefer, Elmore Leonard, among others.
This book includes the following stories:
1) Bret Harte: "The Outcasts of Poker Flat"
2) Mark Twain: "The Way West"
3) O. Henry: "The Caballero's Way"
4) Stephen Crane: "The Blue Hotel"
5) Willa Cather: "On The Divide"
6) B.M.Bower: "Bad Penny"
7) Jack London: "All Gold Canyon"
8) Zane Grey: "The Ranger"
9) Max Brand: "Wine in the Desert" (my personal favorite story)
10) Owen Wister : "At the Sign of the Last Chance"
11) Ernest Haycox: "When You Carry The Star"
12) James Warner Bellah: "Command"
13) Dorothy M. Johnson: "A Man Called Horse"
14) Elmore Leonard: "The Captives"
15) Jack Shaefer: "Emmet Dutrow"
16) Theodore Victor Olsen: "Arrow in the Sun" (extract)
17) Loren D. Esteman: "The Bandit"
This book includes the following stories:
1) Bret Harte: "The Outcasts of Poker Flat"
2) Mark Twain: "The Way West"
3) O. Henry: "The Caballero's Way"
4) Stephen Crane: "The Blue Hotel"
5) Willa Cather: "On The Divide"
6) B.M.Bower: "Bad Penny"
7) Jack London: "All Gold Canyon"
8) Zane Grey: "The Ranger"
9) Max Brand: "Wine in the Desert" (my personal favorite story)
10) Owen Wister : "At the Sign of the Last Chance"
11) Ernest Haycox: "When You Carry The Star"
12) James Warner Bellah: "Command"
13) Dorothy M. Johnson: "A Man Called Horse"
14) Elmore Leonard: "The Captives"
15) Jack Shaefer: "Emmet Dutrow"
16) Theodore Victor Olsen: "Arrow in the Sun" (extract)
17) Loren D. Esteman: "The Bandit"
May 21, 2018
One of the family of Mammoth anthologies that proliferated in the 1980's and '90's. A comprehensive collection of 27 stories that are arranged roughly chronologically by the author's period of activity, and that leads to a couple of clusters around the high tides of the genre. As always, the key to a winning anthology is the degree to which your tastes agree with those of the editor and their ability to obtain rights to the stories that they want. Part of the success of the Mammoth Series was that the publishers were remarkably effective in spotting excellent editors and obtaining the rights to republish virtually anything.
On the downside, it is clear that some number of stories were included more for the "gee... I never thought of them as a Western author..." moment and the opportunity to put a famous name on the cover, than for the quality of their western stories. The volume opens with a chapter from "Roughing It", which is the same section describing travel by stagecoach that everyone reprints. There is no objection to its being included except for the fact that it is in every anthology that could be stretched to accommodate it. The 'name' stories provide most of the disappointments in the first half of the book, granted I was never a fan of Stephen Crane or Jack London before this reading so that was probably foreordained. Still, the happy discoveries outnumber the dull by a wide margin. B.M. Bower is a new author to me, among others, and even the lesser of the collected tales was worth a read. Does anyone have an idea why there is a painted portrait of Gary Cooper on the cover?
On the downside, it is clear that some number of stories were included more for the "gee... I never thought of them as a Western author..." moment and the opportunity to put a famous name on the cover, than for the quality of their western stories. The volume opens with a chapter from "Roughing It", which is the same section describing travel by stagecoach that everyone reprints. There is no objection to its being included except for the fact that it is in every anthology that could be stretched to accommodate it. The 'name' stories provide most of the disappointments in the first half of the book, granted I was never a fan of Stephen Crane or Jack London before this reading so that was probably foreordained. Still, the happy discoveries outnumber the dull by a wide margin. B.M. Bower is a new author to me, among others, and even the lesser of the collected tales was worth a read. Does anyone have an idea why there is a painted portrait of Gary Cooper on the cover?
December 21, 2018
Western stories ordered chronologically from Bret Harte to Loren Estleman. I am not a fan of the genre. And after reading these stories I am happy to report I did not become a convert. Most of them are really boring. Even, if not especially the ones, by famous writers. I liked The Ranger by Zane Grey best. Also, the Man called Horse. (Who called himself Horse, by the way.) Haycox, Brand. Maybe Leonard. Some of the "stories" are taken out of novels. A bad move, in my opinion. 5/10
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews